Emmanuel Okoro (aka MrLift)

Casting down arguments  "The Woman said to the serpent, "Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It's only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, "Don't eat from it; don't even touch it or you'll die.'" (Gen.3.2 - 3) Do not try to negotiate with the devil, it never ends well. Eve tried it and ended up plunging the human race into an endless fall until Christ Jesus through his death, burial and resurrection redeemed man.  The Devil tries to get you to argue about what you are already. It starts by trying to talk to you or suggest thoughts to you so that he will get a response from you. The Apostle Paul tells us that is where the warfare is. (see 2 Cor:10:3-5). Your mind is the battlefield. Secure your mind and enjoy your victory.  "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. (Prov.4.23 NLT) Do not let the devil sow seeds in your mind. Rather do what the Psalmist taught us - Your word hav...

The serpent spoke to the woman "The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal GOD had made. He spoke to the Woman: "Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?" (Gen.3.1)  The cleverness of the serpent was abundantly described here in this verse. The verse says it is more clever than any other animal that God had created. It is this cleverness that enables it to deploy its arsenal against human. And we will see how he does this in this verse.  The weapon the devil, a.k.a. the serpent uses against human is twofold. One is deception and the other one is ignorance. its cleverness helps it to use these effectively against man. This is how he operates : He spoke to the woman - who are you listening to? Who you listen to is more important than what you listen to. If you listen to the devil speak, even when he quotes scriptures, you know he is lying. The Bible call him the father of all lies. (See John:8:44) Meaning, he isn't capable...

They were both naked...  "The two of them, the Man and his Wife, were naked, but they felt no shame." (Gen.2.25)  I am glad that it is the man and his wife that were reported naked. Not the man and a side chic, the man and his baby mama or the woman and her sugar daddy. This is instructive because the only person qualify to see your "nakedness" is your husband in the case of the woman and your wife in the case of the man.  But much more than physical nakedness, they were both open with one another. They were vulnerable and they were not ashamed. Today we have people, husbands and wives who do not truly understand each other because they do not truly know each other. How would they know each other when they are not willing to be naked unashamedly before each other. They are unwilling to uncover their thoughts, not able to speak their mind and too scared to be vulnerable.  Can your spouse speak to you about any subject and not feel the judgement coming on or being sti...

Leave it in God's hands  "GOD then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make Woman and presented her to the Man." (Gen.2.22)  It is worth more depending on whose hands hands it is on. In Moses' hand a shepherd's rod could part the red sea. In David's hand, a sling took out Goliath and delivered a nation from the claws of the enemy. In God's hand a single rib became a woman that was presented to man. Leave it in the hands of God.  I do not know what you are going through right now, but if you hand it over to God and leave it there, be rest assured that something good will come out of it. The challenge is in leaving it in God's hands. We take it to God but do not leave it with Him.  The story is told of the little child who was playing with a snake at the back of the yard. When the mother found him with the snake, she simply yelled, "Run!". The boy grabbed the snake and ran with it. That's how some of us are with our challenge. We...

Go to sleep...  "GOD put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh." (Gen.2.21)  Sometimes all you need to do when you are concerned about a problem is to go to sleep. This is when there is really nothing you could do about the problem. Verse 20 of Genesis 2 tells us that man had a concern that there was no companion found suitable for him. Now you must understand that there was no one else insight that could be a solution to this problem. So in verse 21 God put the Man to sleep. Go to sleep over that problem. You've done all you can? Then go to sleep.  Another case in point was when the Apostle Peter was locked up and was due to be put to death. The Bible recorded  that the Apostle James had been put to death and this pleased the Jews. So Herod proceeded to take Peter next and the night before his execution, he was sound asleep. Go to sleep and let God go to work.  "Then the time came for Herod to bring him out...

Man's first concern...  "The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn't find a suitable companion." (Gen.2.20)  Man's first concern was that there was no companion adaptable to, suitable and complementary for him. If there was a recorded first human concern, this has to pass for it. Man's first worry, his first anxiety crisis was that  there was no suitable companion for him.  This is why man is always looking and pursuing the woman. True, the attraction between man and the woman was put there by God. He didn't find a suitable companion - so he is constantly searching until he finds. You need to be able to channel that pursuit aright. When you find her, will you treat her right, will you correctly name her?  We don't get what we need or want out of life, we get what we search for. Seek and you shall find. What you seek or search for is what you will get. Man didn't find but because he searched, God provi...

See what he would call them "So GOD formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name." (Gen.2.19)  God gave man dominion over everything He had created. So it was no surprise that He brought what He had created to man to see what man would name them. And whatever man called them, that was their name.  That shows us that God respected man enough to not  usurp the dominion He had given to man. Ephesians:2:10 comes to mind.  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph.2.10 KJV) We are in partnership with God. As we see in Genesis. God created, man named. We are not left out of this partnership. Today we are partners with Christ to bring about His rule here on earth. Little wonder he taught us to pray, "as it ...

Work before you eat, God's command "GOD took the Man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order. GOD commanded the Man, "You can eat from any tree in the garden,"  (Gen.2.15 - 16) God told man to work the grounds of the garden and keep it in order before he could eat. If you do not work you should not eat.  Work is very important. As young men we dodged work thinking we were out-smarting the system but as one grows older one sees the importance of work. We see from scripture that God worked for six out of the seven days of the week, establishing a very strong work ethic for man to follow. It is only after you have worked, that you are guaranteed food.  You can eat from any tree in the garden. The only reason this is possible is because you have worked the grounds. The Apostle Paul told us that there is no food for the lazy man. He says if you do not work you should not eat. "Don't you remember the rule we had when we lived...

Made from man not just for man "The Man said, "Finally! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh! Name her Woman for she was made from Man." (Gen.2.23)  The woman was made from man and not just for man. Woman is for man just as much as man is for woman. They were made for each other but the woman was made from man.  Earlier verses shows that God made the man and the woman in one body. Male and female created He them, all one.  It is interesting to note that everything God created, He created with the ability to self-sustain itself. So within everything He created is everything that will preserve and prolong that thing. The earth for example, had within it self-sustaining properties. Gen 2:6 "but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground" (Gen.2.6 NIV) Within the earth were the streams needed to water it and as it was watered it produced. Planting, watering, then comes growth. Paul has planted, Apollos watered, God gave the increase.  ...

Work your garden "GOD took the Man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order." (Gen.2.15)  If the grass is greener on the other side, it is because there is a gardener there who works the fields. Nothing works by itself. In the matters of destiny nothing is automated.  God planted a garden and put the man in the garden to work the grounds and keep it in order. God did not expect the grounds to keep itself. The reason some things seem not to change or align is because no one is working them. Work your garden.  Another word for work would be to cultivate and it mrans to bend or make the ground into what you want it to be. Don't forget, man has been given dominion over the earth. God says to the man to create order by working the ground.  I am reminded of the story of the man who was given a prisoner to keep but he got busy here and there leaving the assignment that could cost his life. "And as the king passed by, he cried unto the k...

Two trees in the garden "GOD made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil." (Gen.2.9)  There were two trees in the middle of the garden - The Tree of Life and also the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. For some people this is news. They think it was just the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, but no, The Tree of Life was also there in the middle of the garden. Why is this important? Because if man had eaten from this tree of life, he would not experience the effect of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  One has the effect of eternity, which if man had eaten first, the effect of the second would be null and void. It is like taking the antidote or an immunisation so that the "virus" or the effect of the tree of knowledge of good and evil will not kick in. But haven taken of the tree of the knowledge of the good and evil...

Man became a living person "And the LORD God formed a man's body from the dust of the ground and breathed into it the breath of life. And the man became a living person." (Gen.2.7 NLT) If by the introduction of the breath of life from God man became a living person, therefore when that breath of life is taken from man, man becomes a dead person.  Our text tells us that the body of man was formed from the dust of the ground. By this we know that the body is not the man. Man is not the body, if anything the body  is not the living person. The body is the dust, the person is the breath of God in the body, that is the person.  The Apostle Paul differentiated this for us in 1Thess:5:23 "May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together--spirit, soul, and body--and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ." (1Thess.5.23)  He says spirit, soul and body in that order. Showing to us that the spirit of m...

Rest  "God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done." (Gen.2.3)  God made a big deal out of the seventh day He rested. He blessed the day and made it a Holy Day because on that day he rested from his works. There must be something about rest that this generation needs to learn. Rest is inevitable, rest is good, rest is necessary and rest is refreshing.  The mechanism of the body explains this to us. Every night when one goes to sleep and wakes up the next morning - one rest when one sleeps - and wakes up refreshed. So when we sleep in rest, our body's building systems goes to work, replenishing what the body used up. God rested on the seventh day after six days of work.  Do not feel guilty for resting. The problem begins when we want to rest for six days and work for one day. Isaiah tells us one way to rest in God, he says:  "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak...

Be Responsible  "God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." (Gen.1.28)  The words 'Be responsible' jumped at me as I read through this verse. And I saw in mind's eyes how the world will be a better place if we were all responsible. There is a lot of irresponsibility on display in this day and age. Are you responsible?  Irresponsible parent - little wonder children are the way they are, irresponsible teachers - why we have students failing up and down, irresponsible employers - employees owed their salaries left and right, irresponsible employee - that will abdicate their responsibility, irresponsible children - parents stressed out of their wit's end. Irresponsibility just on display. Little wonder our world is the way it is.  The way to show that you are responsible is to Prosper! To Reproduce! To  Fill Earth! And to Take...

Mark seasons, days, and years  "God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night. Mark seasons and days and years" (Gen.1.14)  Life is made up of seasons, days and years. A day is made up of different seasons - dawn, dusk twilight, - more generally, morning, afternoon, evening and night seasons. But we cannot tell these except by the introduction of light. Furthermore, we also have days and years and all of these are only differentiated by the introduction of light.  So if light is missing in the mix, then one may be stuck and not be able to make the required progress. Little wonder the Psalmist wrote:  "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." (Ps.90.12)  Light is what makes the difference between how we live our lives aright or otherwise. Our text says mark the seasons, the days and the years, the psalmist says number your days but we know from our text that to do that we need light. Light is w...

Light is good "God spoke: "Light!" And light appeared. God saw that light was good and separated light from dark."(Gen.1.3 - 4) God spoke light and light became, light appeared. Whatever God spoke, that, it became. And when it appeared God saw it was good. Light is good.  Light is not only good, it represent good. Anything that is in the light is good. Jesus said men love darkness because their deeds are evil. (see John:3:19) But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleans us from sin. That's what fellowship does for you.  "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1John.1.7)  To walk in the light is to walk in the truth of God's word. When the truth of God's word is revealed to you, we say you have received light but to walk in the light is to pattern your l...

And God said...  "And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. (Gen.1.3 NIV) What we say is very important. It is so important that God created the world by saying. That tells us of the creating force that is in what we say. This creating force can either be destructive or creative. The wise King Solomon tells us that life and death are in the power of what we say.  "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit--you choose." (Prov.18.21)  God saw a world that was defective, "a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness", (see Gen :1:2 MSG) but He did not begin to say what His situation dictated. Rather He said, 'Let there be light... What are you saying about your situation?  Jesus said you shall have whatsoever you say. Not whatsoever you believe, but whatsoever you say. He repeated saying at least three times, to emphasize the importance of what we say.  "For verily I say unto you, That who...

The brooding Spirit of God  "Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss." (Gen.1.2)  The state of the earth was not desirable just before God went into action and began to speak things into existence. One school of thought believes that God actually was recreating the earth. That the things God created in the seen world were just God calling things from the unseen world into the seen world. Said in another way, God  was revealing to the seen world through the introduction of light thing that would not have been seen otherwise. So that what was once covered in the inky blackness became creation in the seen world.  When the world was in this state of "soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness" the Spirit of God did not abandon the project earth. Just as He has not and will not abandon you irrespective of the situation you may be in right now. He is broodin...

Al you see, all you don't see  "First this: God created the Heavens and Earth--all you see, all you don't see. (Gen.1.1 MSG)  The world we live in is made up of seen and unseen. The Bible says that in the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth - all you see and all you don't see.  And in most cases, the unseen world controls the seen world. But a lot of people would only want to reckon with the seen world. They plan only based on the things that can be seen. The Apostle Paul told us that those thing that can be seen are temporal but the unseen things are eternal.  " While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2Cor.4.18 KJV) So he says to us to not look at the things which are see but at the things which are not seen. We must learn to see the thing that are not seen. And we do that by setting our eyes on things which are abo...

The Spirit and the bride say come "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Rev.22.17)  This is our last article from the last book of the Bible The Revelation of John. And after this we will begin again from the beginning. This is because as it ends, we are invited by the Spirit and the bride to come and drink freely. Of course, we know the bride is the Church of Jesus Christ.  It is an invitation to come and drink more of the Spirit. Let him that hear come. As you read this, you have heard, come and drink . Let him that thirty come and drink freely from the water of life.  I am reminded of a similar scripture in Isaiah, where the prophets says come and buy without money.  "Hey there! All who are thirsty, come to the water! Are you penniless? Come anyway--buy and eat! Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk. Buy without money--everything...

Payment for your life's work  "Yes, I'm on my way! I'll be there soon! I'm bringing my payroll with me. I'll pay all people in full for their life's work. (Rev.22.12 MSB) Make sure that as you carry out your work here on earth, it is one that will pay eternal wages. Most people are only engaged in activities that will earned them wages that do not have any bearing with eternity. What is your life's work worth?  The Master says He is on His way and that He will soon be here but most importantly, He is coming with His payroll to pay all in full for their life's work. Will your work be rewarded?  This should excite anyone who is making the necessary impact on humanity. When all is said and done, when the accolades and the earning are stripped, what would be the measure of the impact of your life's work. How is it changing lives? Is there any eternal reward attached to your life's work or is it just naira and kobo, dollars and pounds, houses and...

God moved into the neighbourhood  " I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. (Rev.21.3 MSB) God's intent from the beginning was to make His dwelling with man. Little wonder the Bible tells us that in the cool of the day, God would walk in the Garden of Eden and fellowship with man. But sin created a gulf between God and man.  "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isa.59.2)  Jesus came and died for the sins of the world and reconciled man back to God and because of this reconciliation man now has access back to the throne room of God. But that was not enough, God wanted to be with His people. He did not want this going and coming. We see an example of this with Joshua, Moses' assistant.  "And GOD spoke with Moses face-to-face, as neighbo...